On Purpose

Whatever short-term materialistic bauble an individual may be craving at any given time, it's inevitable that the acquisition of said gem is a mere fleeting spark of glee. Invariably, once the "new" has worn off of the object, there's something else on the horizon ready to take its place, something "better." This, of course, leads to an endless succession of "gotta-haves" and "look-i-gots." It's the new American Dream and the pinnacle of consumerism,  the oft coveted ability to have what you want when you want it. However it's ultimately unfulfilling, isn't it? There's no satisfaction when the object of such desire is so readily replaced. It's a trap. This focus on consumerism has removed from many individuals that one thing that could improve their lives and the lives of the people around them: purpose. Ignoring for a moment the theological and philosophical implications of that singular word, we're left with a single driving force that propels an individual to achieve the improbable and sometimes impossible, a focused energy that bubbles beneath the surface and explodes forth in a brilliant cacophony of invention, creation, action, and (at times) destruction. Can we imagine the spectacle that would occur in the wake of a revolution of purpose across our generation, a dedicated refocus from the emptiness of consumerism to the ideal of actually making a difference? Whatever one individual would imagine would pale in comparison to the brilliance of a shared idea begotten by a shared purpose.